- May 15, 2026
- 9:22 pm
Solar Panel Removal and Reinstall on Long Island Is More Complicated Than Anyone Told You
If you have solar panels on your Long Island home and your roof is failing, solar panel removal and reinstall is not a simple line item — and the total cost of this project will almost certainly surprise you. Since founding Solar Pro Roofing in March 2021, we have handled complex projects involving solar panel removal, full roof replacement, and complete system reinstallation across Long Island — coordinating roofing and solar under one company, one point of contact, and one accountable project team. That full-scope capability is rarer than it should be, and it is exactly why homeowners with these projects call us.
Many of our projects originate from systems originally sold or installed by companies that have since closed, restructured, changed ownership, shifted service models, or become difficult for homeowners to reach — including Empower Solar, SunPower, Titan Solar,
Sunnova, Vivint Solar, SolarCity, and others. Their customers are still here. Their roofs are aging. And the bill for fixing it is landing on homeowners who were never warned this day was coming. This article gives you the full picture — real costs, real risks, and what to demand from any contractor before you sign anything.
Why Solar Panels Are Not Destroying Your Roof (And What Actually Is)
The first thing most homeowners assume is wrong. Solar panels do not cause roof failure. The shingles beneath a properly installed solar array are actually better preserved than the exposed portions of the same roof — shielded from UV degradation, wind erosion, and rain damage. Think of the array as a turtle shell protecting everything underneath it. There is also an intentional gap between the roof deck and the racking system that maintains airflow and ventilation, which is exactly what a healthy roof needs.
So what is actually causing the roof beneath your solar system to fail? In our direct experience on Long Island, it almost always comes down to one or more of the following:
The Wrong Roof Was There When the Panels Were Installed
If your solar system was installed on an aging three-tab shingle roof, the roof condition should have been seriously evaluated before a single panel went up. Three-tab shingles are a technology largely phased out of the Northeast market — their presence on a roof is a strong indicator the surface was already 25 to 30 years old at the time of installation. Any credentialed roofing professional would have flagged this immediately. Most solar sales reps in the mid-2000s had no roofing background, no training to identify this condition, and no financial incentive to flag it. They were trained to close deals.
Substandard Decking That Was Never Code-Compliant for Solar
Older Long Island homes were commonly built with 3/8-inch plywood sheathing — code- compliant at the time of original construction, but frequently no longer acceptable under current roofing and structural standards. On many Long Island projects we perform, current requirements call for a minimum of 1/2 to 3/4-inch plywood on 12-to-16-inch center spacing, and 5/8-inch on 24-inch center spacing. When we perform full tear-offs, we routinely discover decking that cannot responsibly be left in place — adding thousands of dollars in plywood replacement costs that no one accounted for at the time the solar was sold.
No Critter Guard — and What That Actually Means for Your Home
Pest wrap — a metal or plastic mesh sealed around the perimeter of a solar array — was omitted on a significant percentage of Long Island solar installations. Without it, the gap beneath your panels becomes accessible to birds, squirrels, and raccoons, who nest directly alongside live electrical components, DC wiring, and microinverters. Animal activity under solar arrays creates serious risks: chewed wiring, damaged components, nesting debris near heat sources, and potential fire hazards that develop quietly and go undetected until something fails. If your system was installed without critter guards, this is an active concern on your roof right now — not a hypothetical one.
The Real Cost of Solar Panel Removal and Reinstall on Long Island in 2026
Solar panel removal and reinstall on Long Island costs significantly more than most homeowners expect — and far more than what companies like Vivint Solar and SolarCity quoted when they were selling systems in the early years of the market. Those companies offered $500 removal and reinstall guarantees as sales incentives. When Vivint was acquired by SunRun and SolarCity was absorbed by Tesla, honoring those original commitments became inconvenient. Homeowners who went to collect on those promises were met with new terms, new pricing, or no response at all. The current market rate for professional solar panel removal and reinstall on Long Island is $150 to $200 per panel — for the complete round trip. On a standard 20-panel residential system, that is $3,000 to $4,000 under ideal conditions. Ideal conditions are the exception, not the rule.
During removal, Solar Pro Roofing regularly encounters:
Stripped, seized, or corroded mounting hardware requiring cutting and full replacement Racking rail systems that have been discontinued and must be sourced aftermarket — when they can be found at all Panels showing microcracks, degraded junction boxes, or compromised backsheets discovered only after removal DC wiring and conduit that has degraded from years of thermal cycling, UV exposure,
and in some cases animal damage Once these real-world variables are factored in, a complete solar panel removal and
reinstall on a 20-panel Long Island system typically runs $4,000 to $6,000 — before the roof itself is addressed.
The Total Project Cost: What Nobody Quoted You When You Went Solar “It’s awful. Nobody cared or properly trained the sales reps that began selling solar in the mid-2000s, creating an epicenter of homeowners that now need roof replacements in unfathomable numbers. Whether it was a homeowner trying to save money at the time or a sales rep guaranteeing their own paycheck at the expense of the customer’s project — somebody messed up. Big time.
The majority of these complete projects land between $23,000 and $25,000. The average roof replacement on Long Island runs $7,000 to $10,000. The average solar removal and reinstall runs $4,000 to $6,000. And the majority of the time, we find the plywood is either undersized from original construction or has degraded to the point where it cannot be left in place. That is not something we can ignore when we are putting a new roof on a home. Any contractor includes one to five sheets of replacement plywood at no charge. Every sheet beyond that typically runs $85 to $110. Most Long Island homes require a minimum of 40 to 70 sheets. On the low end that is an additional
$3,400. On the high end, close to $6,000. Add it all together and you are essentially spending what a new solar system costs — but this time with no tax incentives, no NYSERDA rebates, and no federal ITC. The only thing good about it is that it gives us a lot of work. But we genuinely feel for these homeowners, because this is not a joyous transaction. It is a can of worms they have to open so they can stop the bleeding and get back to producing clean energy and saving money — like they were told they would be doing years ago.”
— Jarret Sherrard, Owner, Solar Pro Roofing, LLC 11 Years Solar & Roofing Industry Experience | GAF Certified Plus™ | GAF Gold Elite™ Commercial The Unlicensed Crew Problem: Long Island’s Second Wave of Solar Damage
There is a second wave of damage spreading across Long Island right now, driven entirely by unlicensed and uninsured crews advertising cheap solar removal on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and neighborhood apps. Their pricing reflects exactly what they are: unprepared, uninsured, and undertrained. They strip hardware using incorrect tools and techniques. They crack panels during removal. They damage discontinued racking that cannot be replaced. They void manufacturer warranties through improper handling. They leave roof penetrations exposed between visits. And when something goes wrong — and it does, consistently — there is no contractor license to pull, no insurance policy to file a claim against, and no legal recourse of any kind. What starts as a $1,500 shortcut routinely becomes a $10,000 to $15,000 remediation stacked on top of a project the homeowner already needed to do. We see this. More than
we should.
Every Long Island homeowner should verify any contractor’s license before signing anything:
Nassau County License Verification: Nassau County Contractor License Search
Suffolk County License Verification: Suffolk County Contractor License Search
If a contractor cannot be found in either of those databases, do not let them on your roof under any circumstances.
What Solar Pro Roofing Handles — Start to Finish
Solar Pro Roofing holds both GAF Certified Plus™ (residential) and GAF Gold Elite™ (commercial) certifications — one of a very small number of contractors on Long Island to hold both simultaneously. We are fully licensed and insured in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and you can verify our license in either database above.
On most projects, we manage the entire scope under one contract. That includes full solar system removal regardless of brand, age, or original installer, including systems from SunPower, Empower Solar, Titan Solar, Sunnova, Vivint Solar, and SolarCity. We also perform complete roof tear-offs down to the deck, plywood decking replacement to current code where required, and full GAF Timberline HDZ or Ultra HDZ roof installations backed by GAF’s limited lifetime material warranty on qualifying shingle systems.
Our team also handles complete solar system reinstallation with updated racking, proper penetration flashing, critter guard installation, and all permitting and inspections in-house.
Jarret Sherrard brings 11 years of direct solar and roofing experience to every project, beginning inside national installers like Vivint Solar and SunPower before founding Solar Pro Roofing in 2021. Solar Pro Roofing has been recognized as a top-rated contractor on Long Island across review platforms for multiple consecutive years while maintaining a perfect five-star record.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring Any Solar Removal Contractor on Long Island
This is the section most homeowners wish they had seen before signing. Before any contractor touches your roof or your solar system, get clear answers to every one of these questions.
Are you licensed in Nassau County, Suffolk County, or both? Ask for their license number and verify it yourself using the county databases before signing anything.
Are you insured for both roofing and solar work? Roofing and solar are two separate scopes of work, and one insurance policy may not cover both. Ask for proof of insurance and confirm the policy covers the full project scope.
Will you document panel condition before removal? Every panel, connection, and rail should be photographed before anything is touched. If a contractor refuses to commit to documentation, that tells you everything you need to know about accountability.
What happens if discontinued racking breaks during removal? This is a real issue on older Long Island systems. A qualified contractor should already have a plan for sourcing replacements, fabricating solutions, or adjusting the reinstall strategy.
Will all penetrations be properly flashed and sealed during reinstall? Every bolt penetration through your roof is a potential leak point. Proper flashing and sealant at every penetration is non-negotiable and should be included in writing.
Is critter guard included in the reinstall scope? If your original installer skipped it, it needs to be added during reinstall. This should never be treated as optional.
Who is responsible if a panel is damaged during removal? Get the answer in writing. If the contractor avoids the question or refuses responsibility, walk away.
Frequently Asked Questions: Solar Panel Removal and Reinstall on Long Island
How much does solar panel removal and reinstall cost on Long Island?
Expect approximately $150 to $200 per panel for complete removal and reinstall. A standard 20-panel system typically runs between $4,000 and $6,000 depending on hardware condition and rail availability. This cost is separate from roof replacement.
Can I get a new roof without removing my solar panels?
No. A proper roof replacement requires full panel removal, complete tear-off, deck inspection and repair, followed by full reinstallation of both the roofing system and solar array. Any contractor suggesting otherwise is cutting corners that will cost significantly more later.
My solar company went out of business — can you still service my system?
Yes. Solar Pro Roofing services systems originally installed by SunPower, Empower Solar, Titan Solar, Sunnova, Vivint Solar, SolarCity, and many others regardless of their current operational status.
Will my panels be damaged during removal?
Panels removed by a qualified contractor are typically undamaged and fully reinstallable. However, older systems sometimes reveal pre-existing microcracks, degraded backsheets, or failing components discovered during removal. We document panel condition before and after every project.
Do solar panels cause roof leaks?
Solar panels themselves do not cause leaks. Improper flashing, inadequate sealant, or panels mounted onto an already compromised roof are the most common causes. If you have a leak near your solar array, the penetration method is usually the issue — not the panel.
What is critter guard and do I need it?
Critter guard is a metal or plastic mesh installed around the perimeter of the solar array to prevent animals from nesting beneath the panels alongside electrical components. It is a fire prevention measure, not an upgrade. If your original installer skipped it, it should absolutely be added during reinstall.
How do I verify a solar contractor’s license on Long Island?
Nassau County: https://apex5.nassaucountyny.gov/ords/f?p=288:500:::NO
Suffolk County: https://ca.suffolkcountyny.gov/dcasearch
Always verify licensing before signing any contract.
What warranty does Solar Pro Roofing provide?
We install GAF Timberline HDZ and Ultra HDZ roofing systems backed by GAF’s limited lifetime material warranty on qualifying shingle systems. Every project also includes a written workmanship warranty. Solar Pro Roofing is both GAF Certified Plus™ residential and GAF Gold Elite™ commercial certified.
The Longer You Wait, the More It Costs
Water infiltration at solar penetration points accelerates deck rot. Animal damage beneath unguarded arrays compounds every season. And the longer a compromised system sits, the smaller the chance of salvaging existing equipment.
Solar Pro Roofing, LLC
Serving Suffolk & Nassau Counties, Long Island, NY
631-901-6144
SolarProRoofing.net
info@solarproroofing.net
Licensed & Insured | GAF Certified Plus™ Residential | GAF Gold Elite™ Commercial | Nassau & Suffolk County Certified
About the Author: Jarret Sherrard is the owner of Solar Pro Roofing, LLC, a licensed roofing and solar installation company serving Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island, New York. Jarret has 11 years of direct industry experience, beginning with national solar installers before founding Solar Pro Roofing in March 2021. Solar Pro Roofing holds GAF Certified Plus™ residential and GAF Gold Elite™ commercial certifications and is fully licensed and insured in both Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
